Metal lath and process for making same



Feb. 17, 1931. w. M. GOLDSMITH 1,792,492

METAL LATH AND PROCESS FOR MAKING SAME Filed June 24, 1924 gnue'ntoz WILLIA'M ,M. Cams/41TH,

Patented Feh..17,- 1931 Harrier T TES {PATEN omen: T

I WILLIA M. eoLnsi/rrrrgor orivcrnnnrr,

1 LATH COMPANY, or crNcInNArom A CORPORATION or OHIO onrdnssrenon T 'rHneoLnsMIrn METAL METAL Lawn AND rnocnss FOR MAKING S ME Applicaton filed June 24, 1924. Serial No. 722,159.;

An object of myinvention is .to provide structures in the nature of metal lath, wherein the Webbingor cross pieces may be extended indefinitely, andrwherein such webbing may have its edges disposed i'n'p'lane substantially parallel with the facesiof the material from which such Webbing has been formed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a structure that'will entail aminimum lessor wastageof the material from which such structure is formed.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a structure embodymy invention, part being in an extended position, and part being cut preparatory'to extension thereof. 1

Fig. 2 is an end View of the'device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified'form of structure embodying my invention. 7

The invention disclosed in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 hereof shows five transversely"extendible lengths or strips. By reference to five trans: versely 'extendible lengths shown in Fig. 1, is meant that there are five lengths of ma.- terial 23, that have their opposed ends dis posed immediately adjacent the bars such as 24, prior to expansion or extension of the lath or cut sheet of metal and which lengths or strands on extension orexpansion of the lath constitute a single integral band connecting the bars 24. I

By reference to the right hand portion ofFig. 1, it will be observed that longitudinal slits 10, 11 and 12 are formed. along the bar or edge 13 of the sheet 14, of sheet metal or the like. Transversely'extending slits 15, 16 and 17. extend at an angle or obliquely across the face of the sheet 14. It will be observed that slits 15 and 16 stop short of the longitudinally extending slit '18, paralleling slits 10,11 and 12. The slit 18 extends in parallelism with longitudinal slits 19 and 20. The transversely extending slit 17 communicates" at its opposite ends with'the longitudinally extending slits 1-0 and 19. Shorter slits 21 and 22 extend from slit 19 toward slit 11, and stop short of slit 11.

It will be noted that theivarious.transversely extending slits are/parallel, one with the other, andthat alternate transversely extend- .lng shorter slits terminate upon longitudinal slits disposed at oppositeends or sides of the plate 14. Although there are shown but four "shorter slits disposed between adjacent longer fslits such as 17, it will be readily evident that a larger or smaller number may be disposed between such longer slits, whereby to increase or decrease the number of lengths or strands indicated as 23, that may be developed between and extended between theends or bars 24' extending longitudinally ofjthe sheet 14. The bars 24 are substantially flat elongated portions of flat sheet metal andmay be corrugated or bulgedfoutwardlyso as to re-inforce the structure. Attention is called to the fact that the left hand end of. the length or strip indicated as 25 in Fig. 1, and the right handend of the strip or length indicated as 26 in Fig. 1, are disposed in such relationship that when the several. lengths are extended to providea continuous band as shown in the ri ht hand portion of Fig. 1, the bars 24. must be moved longitudinally of one another, so as to dispose the opposite ends of the same bands on the same, perpendicular ex tending between the bars to which said ends are attached. This longitudinal movementof the bars is utilized for turning the lengths 23 so as to dispose the edges 27 of said lengths in planes practically parallel with the faces 28 of the bars 24. By reference to Fig. 2, it will be readily evident that the turning of the lengths 23' as a result of moving the bars 24 apart and longitudinally relative one to the other, serves to place the said lengths on edge, for the reception of plastic and the like, and increases the rigidity of the structure.

It will be readily evident that by using sheets 14 of metal ofa heavy gauge and by increasing the number of transverse lengths such as 23, there may be provided a binder that may be utilized .to advantage for constructing concrete roadsfand the like, while, lighter gauge material of'possibly lesser number of transverse lengths such as 23 would be used to greater advantage as metal lath for Walls of houses and the like.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be noted that by reversing or opposing the direction of the slits in adjacent portions or sections of the sheet, there is very little waste entailed in producing lath embodying my invention. The only waste would be that substantially triangular portions E at the top and bottom of each section and which triangular portions are shown in dotted lines. When considering the extent to which the lath may be extended, this wastage becomes insignificant or negligible.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modified form of-lath and embodying the invention. The use of three lengths 33, similar to lengths 23 of which five are shown in Fig. 2, illustrates the flexibility of the invention and that the number of such connected lengths may vary, as well as that the lengths need not be straight, but may be of V shape or of other form. hen using V shape strands 33, the metal on opposite sides of the apex 34 of the arms 35 and 36 of the strands turn along the median line of all such strands and develop projections 41 between the arms, and which projections are similar to the projections 12 developed between adjoining strands 33.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A metal lath comprising spaced parallel sheet metal bars and integral flat strands connecting adjacent bars, said strands extending substantially perpendicular to and between the adjacent'bars, the strands having their flat faces disposed substantially transversely of the bars, and having their edges disposed in substantial parallelism with the faces of the bars.

2. A metal lath comprising spaced parallel sheet metal bars and integral flat bands connecting adjacent bars, each band comprising a plurality of strands, said bands ext-ending substantially perpendicular to and between the adjacent bars, the bands having their fiat faces disposed substantially transversely of the bars, and having their edges disposed in substantial parallelism with the faces of the bars.

The process of making expanded metal lath comprising slitting each of adjacent areas of a sheet of metal on a plurality of connected bias lines for providing strand portions, then expanding the slitted portions thereof and bringing the ends of the strand portions into substantial perpei'idicularity with the sheet metal intermediate such ends.

4. The process of slitting sheet metal along a series of connecting lines extending in substantial parallelism with one another and inclined 'to the length and width of sheet metal and then extending the slitted sheet metal in the direction of the width. of the sheet.

5. The process of making expanded metal lath comprising slitting each of adjacent parallel areas of a sheet of metal along a series of connected substantially parallel lines whereby to form a plurality of parallel bars spaced by slitted areas, the parallel lines being oblique to and between the bars, and then extending the slitted portions of the sheet and moving the bars relative to one another for expanding the sheet and for turning the slitted portions of the sheet at substantially 90 degrees to their original positions.

6. The process of making expanded metal lath comprising slitting the central portion of a sheet of metal along a series of connected substantially parallel lines whereby to provide substantial lateral bar sections disposed on opposite sides of the slitted portion of the sheet, the said parallel lines extendingion the bias relative the bars, and then moving the bars apart and longitudinally of one another to positions such that the bars extend in substantial parallelism and the bias cut material between the bars extends substantially perpendicular to and between the bars.

7. Ametal lath comprising spaced parallel sheet metal bars, each of the bars having a face disposed on each side of the lath, the faces on common sides of the bars lying in the same general plane, and integral fiat strands connecting adjacent bars, the strands being turned edgewise relative to the bars and extending perpendicular to and between adjacent bars.

8. A lath of expanded sheet metal comprising spaced parallel b-ars, each of the bars having a face disposed on each side of the lath, the faces on common sides of the bars being aligned, and integral strands connecting adjacent bars and having bias cut connections with the bars and extending sub stantially perpendicular to and between the Ears, the strands being edgewise relative the 9. The process of making expanded metal lath comprising slitting each of two spaced parallel portions of a sheet of metal whereby to provide parallel bars at each side of the slitted portions and between the slitted portions, the slitted portions being out along lines at a bias to the parallel bars, and the bias slits on opposite sides of the intermediate bar extending in opposite directions and then moving bars at the outer sides of the slitted areas apart for extending the slitted material to positions in substantial parallelism with similar slitted portions and to positions on edge and substantially perpendicular to all the parallel bars.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 1 subscribed my name this 16th day of June,

WILLIAM M. GOLDSMITH.

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